The present invention relates to a means and method for coating live worms which may be earthworms, seaworms or the like.
A prior art search uncovered the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,749,647; 3,421,899; 3,545,404; 3,931,414; 3,953,934; 3,987,575 and 4,053,640. Some of these prior art patents such as Beloff disclose artificial lures which have their attraction to fish enhanced by the addition of fish-attracting substances. The Beloff patent shows an artificial lure having an open cavity containing a finely divided material such as lobster meat, soy bean, cotton seed oil, etc. The Morita patent and the Visser patent also show different materials that may be used in association with an artificial lure. The Takasugi and Popeil patents suggest the use of pulverized fish bait of various types of materials such as, for example, raw fish. These patents suggest the application of this material directly onto the hook. However, none of the prior art that was found suggest a mixture in accordance with the present invention and which is to be coated directly on a live earthworm or seaworm.
The patent to Loftus discloses the treatment of live worms but only for the purpose of making them irridescent. Again, this patent does not disclose nor suggest the principle of the present invention of coating live worms for facilitating ease in handling these worms for baiting them onto a hook.
In accordance with the present invention there is provided a material for coating bait which is preferably used for coating live bait to facilitate the handling of the bait to primarily make it easier to put the bait onto a hook. This material is preferably made from a powdered wood flour which is applied to the bait such as earthworms so as to make it easier to handle and hold the bait when it is being put onto a hook. It has been found that the baiting process is accomplished quite rapidly with the technique of this invention. Hooks can be baited as much as five times faster using the technique of this invention in contrast to the prior way of simply hooking the earthworm onto the hook. The wood flour is preferably made from a hardwood tree with the preferred hardwoods being maple and birch. It is also preferred that the wood flour be mixed with dehydrated ground food product such as powdered earthworms, mussels, shrimp, clams or the like. In accordance with the method of this invention it is practiced by applying the powdered wood flour to the bait to enhance the gripping of the bait. In the conventional method of baiting an earthworm, the earthworm is usually difficult to hold stationary, however, with the method of this invention by applying the powdered wood flour the bait can be handled much more easily. The powdered wood flour may be applied with the use of a shaker to shake the material on to the bait or it may be applied by dipping or rolling the bait in the material.